Tools for Action

This page has some tools and resources that will help to organize and execute a range of creative and direct actions that target Congress, corporations, and big finance/banks. If you want to get plugged into action in your area and across the country take the pledge of resistance and join our biweekly national TPP Resistance phone calls

** NEW: If you need help with an action – whether it’s how to get started or you need a flyer made – contact the Resource Hub. Click here for more information. **

Pick a Target:

What makes sense in your area for a target? How did your Congress members vote on Fast Track in June 2015? Are there big corporations in your community that you can target? Maybe the public is your target and you want to do a visibility action like a highway banner hang to raise awareness. To stop secret treaties like TPP, TTIP, and TiSA we need to relentlessly apply pressure and raise awareness everywhere!

Pressure Congress:

Congress members are in a key position to stop the TPP because both the Senate and House will have a vote on it after the deal is completed. To counter the influence of Obama, big money, and corporate media we must apply pressure to Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate to make sure they stand firm against these dirty deals when they come to Congress.

If your Senator or representative voted for Fast Track in June 2015 they might be a good target (especially if they are running for reelection). Even if members of Congress in your area voted against Fast Track you need to make sure they make stopping TPP a priority. You can do actions at their offices, at events they host/attend, at businesses they are friendly with, or even at their homes.

Call or meet your Senators and Reps: Calling often has a greater impact than emails or letters. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202 224 3121. Let staffers know how constituents are feeling about the TPP. Keep an eye out for national call in days or organize your own. Offer yourself as a resource to the staffer to provide information about the TPP. Send relevant articles. Try to set up meetings with their trade staffers. Always ask hard questions! Here are some tools for your meetings and calls.

Birdogging: Show up at their public events that your Senators and Reps will be attending in your district, state, or in D.C. Know the issue and ask them tough questions to get them and the media thinking, something they are not accustomed to doing. Push them for an answer. If they don’t respond, ask again. Hound them over and over, everywhere they go. Record the response and let everyone know! For more on birdogging see these tips.

Pressure the Corporations involved:

Is there a corporation involved in the TPP (pretty much all of the big ones) that you could build awareness around? Where should you hold a protest? You can choose a corporate office like Monsanto, Boeing, or Peabody Coal who are pushing the TPP to expand their profits at the expense of people and the planet. Or you could protest at a corporate sales location like a Starbucks, Walmart, or Federal express.